Mobile toy



Dec. 13, 1966 y s, -KRAVATH 3,290,817

MOBILE TOY Filed Jan. 21, 1964 INVENTOR.

BYzW-MW United States Patent O 3,290,817 MOBILE TOY Stanley Kravath,Eastcliester, N.Y., assignor to Stahlwood Toy Mfg. Co., Inc., New York,N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 339,137 1Claim. (Cl. 46-32) This invention relates t toys, and more particularlyto a mobile-type toy intended especially for the amusement of infants.

Toys of this type are available in a large variety of motifs, but thepresent invention is specically directed to a mobile-type toy in whichthe suspended elements are simulatedvbirds. Usually, toys of the typereferred to include means for attaching the mobile to the side of achilds crib or play pen and for holding the suspended elements of thetoy over the crib or play pen where they may easily be seen by theinfant.

It is a generally object of the present invention to provide a simulatedbird, for use as a suspended element in a mobile toy, whichisinexpensive and simple to manufacture, maintains its attractiveappearance over long periods of time, and in at least one of itsembodiments includes wings adapted to iiutter readily in order toattract and maintain the childs interest.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a simulatedbird, for use as a suspended element in a mobile toy, having wingsformed of thin sheet material projecting outwardly from the body of thebird, and support elements for the wings also projecting outwardly fromthe bird body to prevent the wings from drooping.

It is another object of the invention to provide-such a simulated birdwith means for permitting more than one bird to be suspended, onebeneath another, on a single cord.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description in which reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention isdisclosed:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mobile toy mounted on a childs bed orcrib;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the simulated birds;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 2, lookingin the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 ofFIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing an alternative embodiment ofthe invention.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, a portion ofa childs bed or crib 1 is shown having a top rail 2. Attached to the toprail 2 by means of a clamp 3, or other suitable attaching means, is anupright rod 4, bent at 5 to provide a horizontal arm portion 6 at thetop, terminating in a suspension hook 7. A ring 8 is connected by radialspokes 9 to a central hub 10 having a loop 11 rotatably mounted in it,this loop engaging the hook 7 in order to support the mobile from themember 4, 6. The ring 8, therefore, is freely rotatable relative to thearm portion 6.

Suspended from the ring 8 by cords 12, are a plurality of ornaments 13,each of which is shaped and decorated to simulate a ying bird. Theconstruction of each of these birds will be described in detail withreference to FIGS. 2 to 5.

Each bird includes a light-weight, hollow body 14 preferably composed ofa suitable plastic, the body being fitted with a pair ofoutstretchedwings 15. The body 14 may readily be formed, on a massproduction basis, by means 3,290,817 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 of a moldingoperation. To support each of the wings there is provided at the properlocation on each side of the body 14, an angle bracket 16. Each anglebracket 16 has one of its legs 17, adhesively or otherwise, attached tothe body 14 of the bird, and its other leg 18 extending laterally and ata relatively flat angle from the body of the bird.

Each of the wings is provided at its inner end with a projecting tongue19 adapted to be inserted through a slot 20 located in the side of thebird directly above the outwardly projecting leg 18 of each of thebrackets 16.

The wings 15 are preferably made of thin, flexible sheet plastic, andthey may be shaped, colored or otherwise treated to lend attractivenessor naturalness to the simulated bird. The wings may readily be formed,on a mass production basis, by means of a die cutting operation.

If desired, the wings may be scored along the lines 15 to lend somerigidity to them. Despite the scoring, the thin plastic wings have atendency to droop due to their weight, and due to the nature of thematerial usually employed and its thin gauge, after the toy has been inuse for a period of time. The birds, as a result, lose much of theirattractiveness. According to the present invention,

however, the leg 18 of each bracket 16 supports its respective wing atthe weakest and hence most critical point of the wing, i.e., the pointat which the relatively narrow tongue 19 joins the main body of the wing15. Consequently, it has been found that the tendency of the wing todroop is successfully counteracted, and the bird maintains itsattractive appearance over long periods of time. In addition to actingas a support, the leg 18 also provides a relatively large surface towhich the wing 1S can be attached, as by a suitable adhesive. Thus, astrong, permanent assembly of parts may readily be effected. Such anassembly is illustrated in FIG. 3.

Under certain circumstances, however, it may be desirable to leave eachwing 15 free from attachment to the bracket 16 which underlies it. Insuch a case, reliance can be placed on a tight fit, or an adhesiveattachment, Ibetween the tongue 1-9 `and slot 20 to maintain the wingand body in assembled condition. Since the wing is not iixed to thebracket 16, it is permitted to move with respect to it in a simulatedutter, as illustrated on the `right-hand side in FIG. 5, under theinfluence of air currents.

The left-hand side of FIG. 5 illustrates how the wings are assembledwith the body. The wing 15 is moved in the direction of the arrow untilthe tongue 19 enters the slot 20 and the main body of the wing abuts theside of the bird body 14.

Each of the birds is provided at the top of its body in line with itscenter of gravity with an eyelet 22 by means of which the bird can besuspended from the ring 8 by one of the suspension cords 12. In order toenable a number of the birds to be suspended one above the other on asingle cord, the body of each of the birds may be provided withvertically aligned holes 23 and 24. Therefore, a single cord 12, afterengaging one of the eyelets 22, can pass through the holes 23 and 24 toallow attachment of the cord to another of the birds located below it.

From the foregoing, the construction and use of the device will beapparent. When mounted above a childs crib or bed, the plurality ofsuspended simulated birds will serve to interest and attract the child,particularly when the birds are in motion. When motion is imparted tothe birds either by vibration or a slight breeze or otherwise, the childwill be at once attracted.

The invention has been shown and described in preferred form only, andby way of example, and many variations may be made in the inventionwhich will still be comprised within its spirit. Itis understood,there-fore, that the linvention is not limited to lany specific form orembodiment except insofar as such limitations are included in theappended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a mobile toy having a support adapted to be attached to a childscrib: at least one element suspendable from said support, said elementbeing in the form of a bird having a hollow body, said body beingprovided with a pair of oppositely disposed longitudinal slots, a pairof angle brackets oppositely secured to the outer surface of said body,each of said angle brackets having a laterally projecting leg, said legbeing disposed directly beneath its respective slot, and a pair ofoppositely disposed Wings, each of which is provided at its inner endwith a narrow projecting tongue, the Width of said tongue beingsubstantially equal to the length of said slot, said tongue snugly ttingwithin said slot and being frictionally retained in said slot, each ofsaid wings being unattached to but supported by one of said projectinglegs, thereby 20 permitting slight movement of said wings by a breeze tocause a simulated uttering action of said Wings.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,940,490 12/1933 Frazier 46-124 X 2,294,241 8/ 1942 Bober 46-124 X 2,599,227 6/ 1952Brown 46-124 X 2,739,414 3/ 1956 Cleveland 46-79 X 2,769,276 11/1956Steiner 46-32 FOREIGN PATENTS 103,335 5/1926 Austria. 607,895 4/ 1926France.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS J. BOVASSO, Examiner.

